The Hostage
by Sea Starr2
Summary: Lee stops to help a young woman change a tire and gets more than he bargained for when two ruthless kidnappers demand a ransom for his safe return. Can Harry and Chip reach him in time?


A/N Unedited/Uncut version originally posted to Seaview Stories

 **The Hostage**

Lee Crane drove the winding road up the Santa Barbara foothills to his cliff-side home. The commute took about twenty minutes longer than if he lived in town but well worth the drive for the family room which sported a wall full of windows to capitalize on the awesome ocean view. His master bedroom sported the same seascape scene in the two story home; the large four bedroom house admittedly an over-kill for a bachelor, but the view was spectacular. The only thing that would make it perfect was if he could see Seaview from there, but NIMR was several miles south as a crow flies. The longer commute didn't bother him in the least as driving his 1968 GT500 Shelby Cobra with the top down was the perfect way to unwind after a long day.

Lee smiled as he geared down for the windy road and then back up again as he powered out of the curve, feeling the power of 335 horsepower under his command. His service cap lay in the seat next to him as he allowed the wind to whip his hair producing delightful waves in his naturally curly hair. His dark Ray Ban sunglasses rounded off his driving attire as he sighed contently at his good fortune to have landed the job as Seaview's Captain. If he wasn't driving he would have pinched himself to prove he wasn't dreaming. Every sub commander in the fleet dreamed about taking her out for a spin and here he was her Captain. She was his Gray Lady, his Best Girl and when he stood in her Sail he felt like he was where he belonged. He signed on as Seaview's Captain almost eight months earlier and during that time had settled in nicely to his new command.

Working with Chip Morton again was great; they always talked about sailing together but never had the opportunity in the Navy. At first, Lee wondered if their brother-like friendship would be an obstacle but that fear was quickly laid to rest as the two worked together professionally in perfect harmony. While on Seaview he was the Captain, off the NIMR grounds they were best friends who enjoyed a little good natured joking from time to time as brothers often do.

Working with Harry was both a pleasure and a privilege. Admiral Harriman Nelson was a legend, his military brilliance matched only by the sharp, ingenious scientific mind he sported. It had been quite a change sailing with an admiral on board as Lee had to balance Nelson's rank with his duty and responsibility of the Boat. But they too had settled into their roles; as captain, Lee had complete say over the running of the Boat, while Admiral Nelson retained the command over the scientific portions of the voyages. Their mutual respect had produced a sincere friendship that was growing stronger with each successful voyage, a friendship that ran deep, almost like a father and son; and as such Lee had decided that working with Harry was as much a privilege as standing at the helm of the world's most advanced nuclear submarine.

He rounded the curve and slowed, spotting an old van pulled over to the side of the road in the straight away up ahead. The van was weathered and worn and the young woman laboring to change the tire looked as if she could use some assistance so he pulled over behind her.

"Hi," he offered as he got out of his car. "Would you like some help?"

The young blonde looked indeed glad to get the help and sighed audibly. "Yeah, I really could use your help," she admitted as Lee noticed that she had set the jack up incorrectly.

"No problem Miss," he said with a friendly smile as he shrugged off his khaki service jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

"My name is Roxanne," she offered with a slight southern accent.

"Hi Roxanne, my name is Lee," he said introducing himself as he turned the jack around and checked the assembly before continuing.

"I knew that tire wouldn't last much longer," she explained as Lee noted the bald tire. "I'm headed to a job-site. My cousin got me this job," the young woman in her mid-twenties explained, her tone was brass and unpolished, though she was very pretty. "I clean-up at the construction sites for these new homes on the hill," she finished.

"Well, we'll get you on your way in no time," Lee offered politely as he rolled away the flat tire and mounted the spare, which was almost in as bad a shape as the tire he changed. He finished the job, tightening the last lug nut when he heard a man's voice.

"Hello Captain Crane."

Lee turned his head sharply knowing he hadn't given his last name just in time to see the branch swing as it connected to his head. He swayed and fell over as the pain gave way to darkness.

"Quick grab his legs," the man ordered as Roxanne picked up Lee's legs and the two proceeded to load him into the back of the van.

"What about his car?" Roxanne asked as her partner collected the spare tire and jack, throwing it in the back of the van next to Lee.

"What about it?"

"Aren't you gonna' take it Jack? It's worth a lot of money!" she exclaimed walking over and rubbing the candy red finish of the hood.

"Of course not you idiot. First of all that car is way too easy to spot and who are we gonna fence it to anyway? Second of all, it's where we're gonna leave the ransom note," Jack replied.

"Sure is a shame," she lamented as Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a wrinkled envelope, placing it on the passenger seat underneath Crane's uniform cap.

"Come on. Let's get out of here before someone drives by," Jack said as the two climbed in. Jack made a U-turn heading away from the expensive homes in the new housing development. Not many houses were occupied yet and being after five o'clock the construction crews were gone for the day, leaving a mostly deserted road. They drove a couple of miles and then took an undeveloped dirt side road that winded a path deep into the Santa Barbara foothills.

"How's he doing?" Jack asked as Roxanne turned, barely staying in her seat with the bumps in the road jostling her back and forth.

"Still out cold," she replied, biting her bottom lip as she checked out the lean but fit form of the man lying in a heap in the back of the van. He sure is a Looker, she thought to herself then broke her gaze, afraid Jack might notice and turned back around.

"Good. It won't be long Baby," Jack said hitting the steering wheel and squealing his delight. "We're gonna be rich, Baby! Rich!" he declared as Roxanne smiled back harboring no regrets for the crime they were committing.

~0~

A California Highway Patrol officer cautiously parked behind the abandoned Shelby Cobra. The sports car was immaculately kept and as only a little more than 500 of these cars had been manufactured it was already a classic and not likely left on purpose; his first thought was that it was stolen so he approached the car carefully. Inside the convertible he found a uniform jacket neatly folded and draped over the seat with a service cap sitting on the passenger side.

"Hello?" he yelled hoping he'd get some response and repeated his call when he got none. He decided that the situation looked rather suspicious and returned to the cruiser to call in the plates. A few minutes later he had the owner's name and address, a home somewhere in the immediate vicinity. A cross reference check revealed the owner possessed a Military ID, accounting for the uniform jacket and cap.

He walked back to the Mustang and looked around again spotting an envelope under the cap. Officer Wong slid the cap over with his stick, careful not to disturb it as he wisely treated the abandoned car as a possible crime scene. The envelope was clearly addressed to Admiral Nelson, a name that most Santa Barbarans knew well. He left the envelope and continued walking to the front of the car where he noticed several drops of blood drying in the dirt and decided to call for back-up; the whole thing just didn't look right.

~0~

Harry arrived at the scene pulling up behind three CHP cruisers with their lights flashing. Though it was after hours, Harry had stayed late working and was still wearing his uniform even though it was past seven pm.

"Admiral Nelson?"

"Yes Officer, what do you have so far?"

"Officer Wong, Sir," he said by way of introduction. "There's another set of tire tracks just ahead of Commander Crane's car, by the looks of it someone repaired a flat tire. The tracks appear to make a U-turn but then are lost on the asphalt. We started the car, there doesn't seem to be any engine trouble and there's an envelope addressed to you in the front seat, we'd like for you open it," Officer Wong said handing Harry a pair of rubber gloves.

"Of course," Harry said walking forward and noting that things were definitely wrong. Lee loved that car and wouldn't have abandoned it on the side of the road without a very good reason. He reached in for the envelope, it was slightly wrinkled and somewhat soiled, not a fresh envelope he noted. The fold was left unglued as he eased the contents out, careful to touch as little of the envelope as possible. He had an idea just what he'd find inside and sighed out loud before reading.

 _"Three million for Crane alive_

 _Wait for my call at your office"_

The note was written with letters cut from various sized headlines of newspapers and magazines and glued in place in an almost juvenile manner as Harry handed the note over to the evidence team.

"Okay people, it's a 207. Let's get prints, secure the scene..." the Sergeant ordered, the ransom note having verified their suspicions of a kidnapping. "Admiral Nelson," he continued, "Officer Wong will escort you back to your office under Code 3."

"Very well," Harry said moving with determination as he tightened his lips in a mixture of concern and anger. Lee wasn't just Seaview's Captain, he was his best friend... almost like a son. His lips tightened deeper... and no one messes with my family he finished silently, as he followed the Cruiser clearing traffic ahead of him with lights and sirens blaring.

~0~

Jack and Roxanne carried Lee into the abandoned house; she had cleaned a few rooms for their use but the rest of the house still possessed an ample amount of dust and spider webs.

"Take him to the bedroom. I want him watched continually," Jack ordered as they carried him hand and foot.

"You must have whacked him hard, Jack. He's still out," Roxanne observed.

"Damn navy guys, can't take a hit," Jack muttered as Roxanne noted the long streak of blood running down Lee's face.

"Over there, against the wall," Jack guided as they dumped Lee on the floor. Jack reached inside his pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs securing Lee's hands behind his back, then to a tether he had bolted into the floor earlier.

"Where'd you get these?" Roxanne asked giggling as she playfully fingered the silver cuffs.

"You can buy anything if you know where to look," he returned smugly. "That's why I'm the brains of this operation," he bragged.

"Yeah well, your brains wouldn't have gotten him to pull over today," she said, standing up and pressing against Jack seductively.

"Not now Baby, I got a call to make. Clean him up, will ya' Roxanne? He's getting blood all over the place."

Roxanne stepped back, a bit miffed that Jack hadn't responded to her seduction. She had unbuttoned her blouse in the van to show more cleavage and had tied her shirt to bare her mid-drift; the least he could do was notice, she thought.

"I'll be back in a little while," he said, hanging the cuff keys on a peg on the wall just in case he was picked up for all those outstanding DUIs; he didn't want to explain why he was in possession of handcuff keys.

"Whoo-wee!" he hollered. "We're gonna be rich!"

~0~

Harry rubbed the back of his neck as he paced his crowded office. The Santa Barbara Police Department was in charge of the investigation but the FBI was present with a liaison ready to take the case if it was determined that Crane had been moved out of the state's borders. In addition, Chip Morton had been called in as well as Angie whose skills for calling up resources rivaled any Procurement Office in any branch of government service.

Harry paced the floor and looked at his watch, it was after eight. The kidnapper had given no time to expect a call, no doubt making his point just who was in control. Several men jumped when the phone rang as the room went instantly quiet. Harry reached for the phone, coordinating the release of the receiver button with the officer who was tracing the call.

"Nelson," he answered, not expecting any business calls at this hour of the night.

"I want $3 million in small unmarked bills..."

"You'll get nothing until I know Crane is still alive," Harry interrupted.

"Don't jerk me around Nelson, do you want your man back or what?"

"I want proof Crane is still alive, then we'll talk money," Harry returned not backing down.

There was a small delay and then, "You'll have proof tomorrow. Don't pull this again or you'll be picking up a body bag and tell the cops, nice try… they need 15 more seconds to trace the call."

The phone went dead as all eyes turned to the officer wearing a set of headphones and working on the trace. He sighed and nodded, signaling they had nothing.

~0~

Roxanne pumped a basin full of water from the well. She returned to the bedroom and dropped to her knees gently patting the dried blood from Crane's face. A large bruise had formed around the bump where the skin was broken just above his left temple. She followed the path of the dried blood down and stopped at his collar to loosen his tie and a few buttons, then opened his shirt and blotted his neck clean. She dropped the rag into her basin and raised a provocative finger to her mouth, biting her fingernail and then traced his jaw line, stopping to run her finger over his lips.

Roxanne smiled and looked toward the door making sure Jack hadn't returned yet. She rolled him from his side to his back and looked down appreciatively. His facial features were decidedly handsome and she appreciated his fit form. She bit her bottom lip again while trailing her finger from his lips down his neck, stopping to release one more button and then caressed his chest, delighting in the taut muscles under her touch. She pulled her hand back when he moaned in pain and tossed his head but released her breath back out when he showed no further signs of waking.

She smiled mischievously and finished her downward descent towards his belt but stopped suddenly when she heard the noisy van pull up to the house. Carefully she turned Crane back on his side with a quick fantasy running through her head then willed the picture away and picked up her basin. She met Jack at the door as he entered, throwing the van keys on a table.

"He's _still_ out?"

"He's starting to come around I think. Did you give them the Demands?" She asked excitedly.

"Nah, Nelson wants proof Crane hasn't kicked the bucket."

Roxanne's countenance dropped, "Jack...?"

"Relax Baby. They always want proof. Tomorrow we take a Polaroid with Crane and the daily newspaper and we're in business," he said pulling her close and feeling frisky now that he finished his errands. His macho tendencies were running high, reveling in the power of being in control as he hungrily reached for a sloppy kiss which Roxanne returned vigorously having gotten herself excited with her near feel-up still fresh in her mind.

He untied her shirt then tugged her to the bed located in the same room to satisfy himself. Roxanne responded to his touch fantasizing the whole time about Crane, his hands cuffed behind his back and the "fun" that might elicit, with Jack completely unaware that her mind was on the handsome officer lying on the floor.

~0~

Lee started coming around slowly, letting out a pained airy breath. His head was pounding in unison with his heartbeat and was accompanied by a sharp pain on his forehead. He started to reach up but felt his hand restrained. He tugged again finally realizing that his hands were cuffed behind his back and tethered, limiting his movements. His cognizant abilities were returning slower than usual but he'd been an ONI operative long enough to know how to function when impaired, and he was definitely impaired. He stopped to take an assessment of his physical condition going through an inventory of his legs, arms and torso deciding that his head had taken the brunt of the punishment.

Lee blinked again and tried to focus. Everything was fuzzy and his peripheral vision was dark so his assessment was limited: he was lying on a dirty wooden plank floor, sunbeams filtered in through windows that were shuttered from the outside, and... he had to abandon the thought, it was just too hard to think right now. He breathed slowly taking in his surroundings and realizing that the drums currently rivaling a drummer's solo at a rock concert signaled another head injury. He was recovering from a concussion and had been duly warned by the CMO against the dangers of a secondary impact.

He willed himself into complete focus and realized that he wasn't alone as he heard a rustling to his left, blinking his vision clear as footsteps approached.

"Well now Crane, you decided to wake up?"

Lee groaned when he was pulled into a sitting position and leaned his head back, squeezing his eyes tight and fighting back nausea. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes as a man in his late twenties squatted down beside him.

"Who are you? Why am I here," he asked weakly, his hands still cuffed behind him.

"I kidnapped you, that makes me your kidnapper. And you're gonna make me rich," he replied, tugging on Lee's cuffs to make sure the tether was still sound then stood and walked away.

This was bad. A kidnapper that didn't bother to cover his face spelled trouble. His kidnapper was barefoot and wearing faded jeans with a shirt that was currently unbuttoned, like he was just getting dressed. Lee watched as his kidnapper headed over to the bed where a young woman in her mid-twenties was standing. She was undressed and made very little effort to hurry as she dressed rather slowly, stepping into a pair of very skimpy denim cut-offs and reaching for a blouse.

Lee lowered his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall recognizing the woman, as the fuzziness of his abduction came into focus.

"You woke a few times last night," Roxanne said walking toward him and shrugging on her blouse, buttoning only a few buttons before she tied it in the middle to expose her belly. "But you were out of your head. You don't remember do you?"

Lee didn't answer and swallowed hard. "Could I have some water please."

"What do you think Jack?" she said looking back as Jack slid his shoes on.

"What do I care? Just make sure he stays awake. I'm going to get a newspaper," he answered, walking to the table and retrieving the van keys.

"How long will you be gone?"

"What is this, Roxanne? Twenty questions? I don't know about an hour I guess," he answered heading for the door.

Roxanne went about grabbing a plastic cup and pouring water from a jug, not phased at all by Jack's harsh tone. She brought the water to Lee, holding it to his mouth so he could drink. It was lukewarm, but he appreciated it just the same, his mouth felt as dry as a desert. He finished the cup and then leaned his head back gathering his strength.

Roxanne and Jack, he repeated to himself. Now he had two names to put with two faces, a pair of Bonnie and Clyde wannbe's; nope, this wasn't looking good at all.

"Must be hard being out at sea for months at a time," Roxanne said after hearing the van pull away. "I bet you got a 'girl in every port'," she finished with a grin. "I don't like the ocean, I got seasick once and was sick for days," she said as she headed over to the bed pulling the ruffled covers back but only doing a cursory job of it.

Lee followed her movements then turned away as she bent over in an obvious attempt to get his attention as her ultra-short denim cut-offs exposed her buttock cheeks in the process.

His head was still pounding, but at least the nausea had kicked down a level or two. He noted that the wooden floor was rotting in places and wondered how sound the planks were where he was tethered. Perhaps if he worked the tether ring he could pry it loose; he wrapped his hand around the ring and began working it, trying to rock it back and forth to loosen the hold of the screw. So far it was solid, but it was the only plan he had.

~0~

Jack drove back into town, stopping at the nearest convenience store he could find. He grabbed the daily newspaper from the rack and headed back up the hill. He had already bought the Polaroid and its film at a local pawn shop paying considerably less than it was worth knowing that he'd likely have to prove Crane's condition. It was safer than getting Crane to a phone booth besides, this way Crane couldn't pass any hints to his location.

Jack smiled to himself. He'd seen a lot of cop shows and was sure he knew what to do to get the money and run. A cool three million and he'd be living it up big, he'd head back home and buy a piece of land so far back in the Ozarks that no one would find him... just like DB Cooper.

~0~

"You're not much of a talker are you?" Roxanne asked, squatting down next to Lee and checking out his head wound.

"I've got a pretty bad headache," he answered figuring he better keep her attention off the fact that he was trying to work the tether ring loose.

"Haven't got any aspirin," she replied reaching up to feel his bruise as Lee flinched at her touch. "You sure can't take a punch, can you?" she asked, completely serious in her assessment.

Lee let out a small scoff thinking of all the abuse he had taken over the years working for ONI, several torture sessions in the hands of the enemy and every time his ribs connected with the periscope island on Seaview, but he didn't correct her; maybe it was best if they thought he had a glass jaw. He tugged on the tether ring once again but it was bolted in solid.

"But you are pretty cute," she continued running her hand down his face. "And I bet you have lots of other talents," she teased provocatively.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked realizing that his escape was going to need a little help.

She leaned over and kissed him, parting his lips with her eager tongue as Lee received her advance with equal enthusiasm. She breathed hard and sat back ready to move in for another kiss when she heard their noisy clunker of a van pulling up outside.

"Later," she whispered in a hot breath in his ear and moved to the other side of the room.

"Alright Baby get the Polaroid, it's show time!" Jack said entering the room and busying himself with the details.

"How's he looking?" Jack asked as he approached Lee with the paper.

"Just a bruise, I cleaned the blood off, see?"

"Yeah. You done real good," he complimented as he sat the paper in Lee's lap to lie against his chest so the headlines were easily seen as Roxanne handed Jack the camera.

"It's all ready."

"Good. Alright Crane smile," Jack said mockingly, producing a tight closed-mouthed glare from Lee.

Jack took several pictures as Roxanne lined them up on the table to dry. He took the final shots as Lee leaned his head back into the wall squeezing his eyes tight, the flash having aggravated his headache.

"I like this one," Roxanne said, picking her favorite.

"This isn't some teeny-girl magazine shot, Roxanne," Jack reprimanded seeing right through why she picked a particular shot with Crane looking so ruggedly handsome.

"This one," he said, picking up his choice. "See, you can see the bruise on his face and the blood on his collar, that'll show I mean business," Jack said.

Roxanne shrugged her shoulders. "What now?"

"I drop the photo off someplace, call Nelson and tell him where it is then give him my demands."

"Do you think they'll do it?"

Jack turned around to face Lee. "Oh I don't know. What do you think Crane? Does Nelson value you enough to pay or will he let you die just so he can say he don't deal with kidnappers?" Jack laughed not waiting for a reply and turned back toward Roxanne. "Yeah, he'll pay, Baby. If he doesn't he'll be picking up a corpse," he finished.

Roxanne nodded back and Lee noticed she didn't even flinch at Jack's last statement. These two were real trouble and he realized that the chance of convincing Roxanne to help him was unlikely; she seemed to be just as devoid of morals as her partner.

"Okay, I'm going now. Keep an eye on him Baby, he's our meal ticket to the good life," Jack said, closing the door behind him.

~0~

Harry stood at the window looking out toward the sea. Seaview was currently berthed in her secret underground sub pen but Harry's attention was far away, even from her. Harry slept on his couch the night before even though they didn't expect a call until morning. He wasn't the only one, Chip had used similar accommodations sleeping on the couch in Lee's office, though they finally convinced Angie to go home. Most of the officers left for the evening but had returned early in the morning to continue their vigil, waiting for a call they hoped would prove that Lee was still alive.

Harry's shoulders heaved in a silent sigh. The evidence team found drops of blood where the second vehicle was parked. The blood type was a matched for Crane as Harry wondered about Lee's physical condition. Lee was recovering from a nasty head wound suffered on their last voyage when Seaview encountered unexpected shock waves from an undersea quake. He was back to work under strict orders to take it easy and was warned to guard himself against a secondary impact. The telephone rang disrupting Harry's quiet contemplations as he moved quickly to his desk.

"Nelson."

"You have fifteen minutes to get the package I left for you by the fence on the north side of your property."

The line went dead as Harry repeated the demands to the men in the room.

"I got it," Chip said running out with an officer following behind as Harry sat back, willing himself to be calm. Dealing with stressful situations was nothing new to the Four Star Admiral but the added weight of Lee's precarious health felt like a ton of bricks on his chest.

Harry downed another cup of black coffee as he waited for Chip after a radio call indicated that they had the package and were returning to the office. The sound in the hall indicated they had returned as Chip ran in placing the package on the desk, wearing rubber gloves to preserve any possible fingerprints.

Harry donned his own gloves and reached for the flap of the brown document envelope pulling out a single photo. He studied the Polaroid instant print noting the gash in Lee's forehead and the pain lines on his face. He was sitting against a dirty wall, his hands obviously restrained behind his back as the newspaper headlines declared the picture was taken this morning.

Harry heaved a sigh and dropped the picture on the desk for the officers to examine as he waited for the kidnapper to contact them once again. Lee didn't look well, Harry noted, but at least he still saw fire in his young Captain's eyes.

The envelope was collected for the evidence crew as the officers examined the picture for themselves, attempting to glean any possible clues from the small photo. Harry studied his watch, the call should be coming through any moment now he reasoned, as he raised his eyes connecting with the deeply piercing gaze of Chip Morton. The two passed their mutual concern and resumed their wait.

~0~

Roxanne tidied up but she couldn't help checking Lee out as she worked. She had thoroughly enjoyed her fantasy of the tall, dark headed officer when she and Jack made it last night. Indeed, the fantasy had produced strong satisfaction as she pondered what the real thing would feel like. She lost her virginity when she was sixteen and had acquired a lot of skill, Jack said she was good… damn good he told her once.

She bit her fingernail as she studied Lee, a man so good looking he could pass for a model or something. She had made it with some really cute guys, but Crane was in a different class. He was sexy in his uniform and she was almost sorry they left the jacket behind with the car, but even now with his uniform dirty and soiled he exuded a rugged handsomeness that intrigued her. Even the bruise on the side of his head added to his sex appeal, as he looked like some sort of hero after a battle or something. He could be her soldier and she would be his reward; his spoils of war, she fantasized.

She walked closer noticing that Crane was following her with his eyes. She wasn't a Hollywood model or anything, but plenty of guys had been proud to take her bed and boast about it later when they returned to the bar. She knew how to use her sex appeal to get their attention and she knew how to satisfy a man when she got him to bed.

She looked back, deepening their eye connection and moved toward him, deciding that she needed to try Crane out before Jack got back. She knew what Jack had planned for the officer; if she was going to sample Captain Crane she better do it now.

~0~

"Nelson," Harry answered, snagging the phone on the first ring.

"Four million dollars in small unmarked bills..."

"I thought you said three million," Harry countered trying to keep the kidnapper talking for the trace.

"That was before you jerked me around, made me miss my flight," Jack bluffed, hoping he'd have the cops swarming the airports looking for him. "You have till tomorrow morning to raise the cash. I'll call you then."

A dead line followed as everyone looked over at the officer with the tracing unit as he nodded again his answer: too short, no trace.

Harry ran his hand across the back of his neck, a sure sign he was frustrated.

"Your choice Admiral Nelson, but if you choose to deal with the kidnappers you may end up rewarding his efforts if he gets away," the lieutenant in charge of the investigation warned.

"But if I don't what do I gain?" Harry answered. "If he follows through with his threat..." Harry trailed off considering his options. "We keep up the cooperation," Harry decided full of confidence. "It's our best chance of getting the kidnapper to lead us to Crane."

Lt. Collins nodded in agreement. "That's a sound move for the time being, but I do have to warn you that if this doesn't go well, the fact that you dealt with the abductors will set a precedent that may put others here at the Nelson Institute at risk."

"Then we better make sure it goes well," Harry returned bluntly as Chip offered an approving nod for the Admiral's response.

~0~

Roxanne moved toward Lee stopping in front of him and stepping over his legs to straddle him. He was watching her intently as she offered a seductive look that announced that she was a tiger on the prowl, then slowly lowered herself to sit on his lap.

"Are you good Crane?" she asked in a hot whisper brushing her lips against the side of his cheek and speaking in his ear.

She reached up and took his jaw in her hand, landing a kiss in a domineering fashion as she probed him with her tongue. He responded immediately, which excited her as she knew he'd been watching her all morning, by now he was probably as hot as she was. Her breathing escalated as her hands roamed down his torso, unbuttoning his shirt to free his chest completely. She sat back adding an inviting gaze as she bit her bottom lip and reached for her blouse exposing herself.

"Like what you see?" she whispered as she leaned in close kissing with sloppy urgency.

"Untie me," he whispered back as she lowered herself for a kiss which he returned passionately.

"I can't," she all but whined.

"I want to touch you," he coaxed. "Do things to you," he encouraged as his kisses trailed down her neck.

She hadn't intended on releasing Crane, she figured she could handle him where he was, but damn if he wasn't getting her hot. Several scenes flashed before her eyes and even though she knew it was risky to release him she figured he was too far gone to not completely satisfy himself before trying to get away, then all she had to do was whack him in the head again and have him tied back up without Jack knowing a thing.

"What kind of things do you want to do to me?" she said sitting back with a playful smile.

"What do you think?" he played back utilizing his own seductive skills.

She had to get him in bed, the guy was too hot. She made her decision and moved to the nail on the wall, retrieving the cuff keys.

He leaned forward as she reached behind him unlocking the cuffs and then pulling them up to dangle in front of her. He reached for her kissing her passionately and taking the cuffs from her as he scooped her up and carried her to the bed where he took over the domineering role.

He hovered over her, pressing his body against her and kissing hungrily as he took one of her hands and held it over her head. She moaned her excitement enjoying his dominance as he continued by taking her other hand and raising it above her head a willing participant to be sure until he reached for the handcuffs and clicked them in place quickly.

She waited with anticipation, lost in the play and taking the cuffs as nothing more than a fantasy encounter as he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Sorry Roxanne," he deadpanned with no emotion and climbed off the bed as she suddenly realized he had tricked her. He was now free and she was secured to the bed post she realized, as she tugged and struggled.

"Crane! You'll be sorry for this you bastard!"

Lee ignored her, wishing he had time to gag her, but he didn't know how long he had. This was his escape and he needed to take it now.

He moved toward the door and listened then took off toward freedom. He made it outside and stopped in his tracks at the clunker van sitting out front. He'd been so busy seducing Roxanne that he hadn't heard it drive up; he only took one step toward the forest and got whacked from behind again. His body rebelled, refusing to take any more punishment as his head exploded and he blacked out, the recent blows piling upon one another along with the aggravated concussion of several weeks ago flaring up dangerously.

Jack cursed, wondering how Crane had gotten free and dragged him back into the house. He dropped him against the wall and looked back at Roxanne lying handcuffed to the bed post with her shirt open.

"What happened?" he yelled reaching for the keys on the floor and walking angrily to free her as Roxanne answered with tears.

"He tricked me!" she sobbed out as Jack tugged Lee back to the tether ring and secured him in place just as Lee showed signs of waking up.

~0~

Lee swam back to consciousness as his training kicked in realizing his need to fight back. His eyes popped open as he tried to move but found himself tethered with his hands once again restrained behind his back. He momentarily berated himself for not taking the back way out, but the house was unfamiliar and he headed for the first sign of freedom he saw. His self-condemnation however, was short-lived as he focused on Jack and Roxanne's conversation.

Jack moved to Roxanne who was supplying plenty of tears to accompany her sobs making any explanation impossible at the moment. He really didn't have to guess what happened, he knew how Roxanne was but it stroked his own masculinity to act like Crane had been the aggressor.

"Did he hurt you Baby?" Jack asked darkly and more concerned with how far Crane got with his girl.

Roxanne's eyes sharpened into devious dark slits as she spewed out her lie.

"He touched me Jack. He touched me all over," she accused in a tone that suggested she was being taken forcefully as she threw herself into Jack's arms for comfort.

"He said he'd show me what a real man could do," she continued offering more tears for effect.

Jack's eyes darkened as he pushed her aside, forgetting his false chivalry and turning toward Lee with ferocious intent.

"Nobody touches my woman!" he declared as he stomped toward Crane.

Lee steeled himself for what he knew was going to be a painful "lesson" as Jack wheeled back his foot and planted it in Lee's side. He grunted with the impact as the pain momentarily took his breath away.

"Did she feel good Crane?" he yelled as he grabbed a fistful of collar and pulled Lee up by the shirt planting a blow that whipped his head to one side. Jack followed it up by dropping him to the ground and bludgeoning Lee with a series of blows that he couldn't protect against with his hands secured behind his back.

"Get him Jack. Make him pay!" Roxanne yelled, her shirt still open as she hadn't bothered to cover herself, besides it fueled Jack's sympathy for her.

Jack continued until his fists got sore then stood up and delivered several more kicks to Lee's side.

"You better think twice before you ever touch what's mine, Crane!" he said delivering one more devastating kick that produced a sickening sound as two ribs cracked with Lee's pain escaping in a cry out.

Jack stood over him as Lee curled into the pain, hampered by the restraint on his hands and breathed raggedly. Jack leaned over with his hands on his knees and gathered his breath back in, having exerted himself in the beating as Roxanne left her perch on the bed to side up next to her partner stroking the side of Jack's face.

"I love it when you do that," she whispered hotly as she fondled his ear, indicating that this wasn't the first time he'd caught her in bed with someone else.

"Come take me, Big Man," she said pulling his hand toward the bed as Jack glared down at Lee making eye contact.

"I'm going to have what you couldn't Crane. Eat your heart out," he declared pulling her in front of him and deploying ravenous kisses to her neck, his busy hands fueling his macho tendencies.

Lee lowered his eyes in disgust as Jack laughed and tugged her to the bed where the sounds of their encounter permeated the room as Lee tried to recover with the sounds of "Yes! Yes!" unrestrained moans, grunts, and heavy breathing dominating everything else in the room.

They went on for an hour as Lee tried to ignore the alpha male display going on across the room and again took inventory of his injuries.

The secondary impact concussion was now joined by precariously cracked ribs, a bruised and swollen face and insides that felt like raw meat. Add to that the fact that his wrists were raw from struggling and he knew he was in bad shape.

"Some escape Crane," Lee said to himself, partly in self-condemnation and partly joking to ease the pain and remain positive. He'd have to look for the next opportunity, he only hoped he had the strength to act upon it. On that thought his eyes closed as he fell into a pained sleep.

~0~

Harry's bank was busy attempting to secure $4 million dollars in cash, not as easy a job as some might think. The banker promised he'd work through the night to secure the funds from Harry's personal finances as NIMR was a Foundation and couldn't just turn over cash to a kidnapper's demands.

He refused to leave the office even though he was told he wouldn't be contacted till morning and planned on camping out there again tonight.

"Sir?" Chip said quietly, standing behind Harry holding out a cup of coffee.

"What?" he replied absent-mindedly as he turned. "Oh," Harry said realizing it was Chip and reached for the cup.

"Uh Sir. Angie says if you want the coffee you'll have to take the sandwich," he relayed tilting his head back to the coffee table loaded with a plate full of sandwich halves, single servings of potato salad and other items from a local deli.

Harry shook his head and let out a small chuckle. "I don't know why I let her boss me around like this," he half-grumbled as she entered the room carrying water bottles.

"Because you know I'm right," she added with a raised eyebrow that dared him to disagree with her, then broke into an understanding weak smile.

"Please Sir, Lee wouldn't want you to run yourself down," she pleaded.

"Alright, but you too," Harry said with a waggle of his finger as if he were scolding a child. He motioned for her to join them as all three sat down for their first smile since the nightmare began. It was short-lived but necessary as each had been under a great deal of stress ever since getting the call about Lee's car.

"I keep wondering if he's alright," Angie said taking a small bite and staring off to nowhere.

"He will be... as soon as we get him home," Harry said picking another spot in nowhere to focus on.

"If I know Lee, he's been busy trying to affect his own escape," Chip chimed in.

"If he perceives his kidnappers will kill him regardless of receiving the ransom, he'll have to," Harry replied evenly. "These kinds of people obviously can't be trusted, Lee knows that," he finished as Angie sniffed back a tear.

"But he knows how to stay alive," Angie declared remembering the ONI missions he had taken even in the short eight months he'd been with NIMR.

"Yeah," Chip agreed and then turned dark as he spoke. "If I ever get my hands on whoever did this..."

"You'll have to stand in line, Chip," Harry interrupted. "I get first crack at him."

The rest of the meal was taken quietly until Angie rose and began clearing the coffee table away.

"Thank you Angie," Harry offered sincerely.

"We'll get him back Sir," Angie encouraged confidently and left with a tray.

"I wish I could be as sure as she is," Harry whispered as Chip leaned over with his elbows on his knees.

"I know what you mean Sir," Chip replied, the two passing knowing glances one another's way.

~0~

Lee woke the next morning realizing the he had taken a brutal beating the day before. His body hurt in places he hadn't felt since the last time he'd been used as a punching bag. Something's wrong when it takes two hands to count how many times a man's been beat to a bloody pulp, he said to himself as he wheezed with each breath he took.

He heard bare feet pad over to him and looked up to see Roxanne standing with Jack's shirt on though it wasn't buttoned, her nakedness completely visible.

Lee glanced over noticing that Jack was out of bed already, though not in the room at present as Roxanne spoke quietly.

"What's wrong Crane? I'm not good enough for you? Not made of fine enough cloth for you?" she asked darkly and then wheeled back kicking him in the groin as Lee gasped in pain. Even in bare feet the kick took its toll, adding to the rest of his injuries as he groaned.

"You deserve what Jack's going to do to you," she said. "You were going to die anyway, but you could have died a happy man with one last screw. Your loss 'cause I'm damn good," she said turning and walking away.

Lee slowed his breathing to control the pain and started working on his tether ring again wondering if he had one more opportunity for escape before the nympho and the psychopath did him in.

~0~

An hour later he heard Jack's boots as he crossed the room, walking straight for him.

"Alright Crane, time for another photo shoot," he said grabbing Lee and pulling him into a sitting position eliciting a new round of pain.

Roxanne settled in behind Jack as he took another picture and laid it on the table to dry.

"I should only need one to prove to them I mean business," he said knowing that Lee's condition had deteriorated drastically since yesterday.

Lee's head rested heavily against the wall, the bruises had ripened overnight and turned deep purple and black. His eye was puffy but thankfully not swollen shut and still usable, his ribs produced a sharp pain and he knew that one more blow and they'd break completely. He wrapped his hands around the tether ring and continued to rock it back and forth. It was unfortunate that the floor was laid in oak, a very hard wood, but he thought the screw was beginning to give. Time was running out, he realized and even if he freed the tether: what then? His hands were still cuffed behind his back.

"Okay Baby let's go," he said reaching under the bed and pulling out a device that Lee recognized as a bomb.

Jack fidgeted with the clock face as the ticking began, then placed the bomb on the table within Lee's sight and bragged.

"Time's running out Crane. By the time this thing goes off, I'll be far away with Nelson's money and he'll be rushing here just in time to watch this place go sky high with you in it. No witnesses," he finished with a devious laugh.

"Hurry Jack," Roxanne urged, heading outside with the ticking bomb proclaiming Lee's need to work the tether loose with diligence.

~0~

Mr. Presley was escorted in by bank security guards carrying a suitcase.

"It took all night and I had to wake up practically every bank president in the state, but I got it," he announced proudly.

"Thank you, Harvey," Harry said appreciatively as he laid the suitcase on the desk, taking the time to examine its contents then turned it over to the officers who wiped the case clean in the hopes that the kidnapper's prints could be read with ease.

The phone rang as Harry reached for it simultaneously coordinating with the officer in charge of the Trace.

"Nelson."

"Do you have the money?

"Yes."

"Drop the money off at the Downtown Parking Garage, third level, space 23a, you have fifteen minutes. Come alone. Crane is currently being babysat by a nice ticking bomb. If I see one police car, one officer on a beat, one plain clothes man trying to stake it out or hear the sounds of a chopper, even in the distance, then I activate the bomb remotely and Crane dies. Jerk me around and he's dead. If my get away isn't clean, the bomb will detonate on timer and Crane's a dead man. Go back to your office, when I'm clear I'll tell you where he is."

The line went dead as Harry slammed the phone down. He already knew the trace was no good and headed straight for the door with the suitcase in hand.

"I'm going alone..."

"Admiral Nel..."

"I'm not willing to take any chances," Harry answered heading for the door and knowing the police had a recording to get the details. "I want my Captain back Lieutenant so stay clear," Harry ordered and rushed out the door.

~0~

Harry rushed to his car, tossing the suitcase in the front passenger seat and making for the exit gate. It was a dangerous game he was playing; Lt. Collins was right, by dealing with the kidnappers he was setting a precedent that could put Chip or any other high level personnel in danger. But he had to give Lee this chance to live, and God help the kidnappers if they didn't keep their word!

He reached the parking garage in ten minutes and followed the circular path up to the third level. The garage provided parking for an outdoor mall as well as a slew of businesses in the area and as usual was full of cars. He found space 23a and noticed another brown envelope slid into the slot used for reserved parking spots in the garage.

Harry walked the suitcase to the front of the space and retrieved the familiar brown envelope; as he suspected it was addressed to him. He opened it, despite the fact that he didn't have gloves and found the Polaroid picture of a severely beaten Lee Crane.

His eyes darkened as he read the note: "His life is in your hands. I get away, you get him back."

Harry walked back to the car and drove away, headed back to his office to await the call.

~0~

A young red headed woman pushing a hooded baby carriage deboarded the elevator and walked to the suitcase. She casually picked it up, walked behind the closest car and dumped the contents into the carriage. She arranged baby blankets and headed straight for the elevator, taking it down to ground level. She exited the garage and began window shopping, stopping to give a pacifier to her "baby" and continued her casual stroll, walking several blocks until she reached an old van. The side door opened for her as the carriage was quickly loaded and hopped in the passenger seat.

"Were you followed?" Jack asked, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

"I don't think so," Roxanne answered pulling off her wig and unbuttoning the modest sweater covering her spaghetti strap tank top, tossing it in the back of the van.

"Are we gonna ditch the van?" she asked, sliding out of the skirt to her ultra-short shorts worn underneath.

"Yeah, I've got it all worked out. Get in the back Baby and stash the money in the duffel bag. And make sure it isn't stuffed with blank pieces of paper," he added over his shoulder.

"Okay Jack."

Jack smiled, this was like taking candy from a baby.

~0~

Lee kept working the tether screwed into the floor and felt it give slightly. His hands were raw but the ticking clock on the table accentuated the point to be diligent. Jack and Roxanne had cleared out, it was the first time he'd been left alone so he figured they were gone for good. Lee knew Jack's intention was to eliminate him as a witness and by the looks of it, he didn't have long before the bomb went off. The screw gave again as hope returned and Lee kept working his only escape option at present.

~0~

Harry paced the floor of his office waiting for the call, each passing moment adding justified anxiety in the room. There was no guarantee the kidnapper would honor the deal and the drop-off was over an hour ago. Chip stood at the window gazing toward the ocean without noticing the beautiful sunny day outside.

The ringing phone put everyone in action as Harry reached for it, grabbing it on the second ring.

"Nelson."

"Take Hillside Road to an abandoned dirt road at about mile four. Nice doing business with you Nelson," he said as the line went dead.

"Hillside Road," Harry repeated and headed to the door.

"You mean he's been there all along?" Chip said following behind.

"Let's just hope this isn't a wild goose chase," Harry said and then shouted over his shoulder. "Call an ambulance, I think Lee's going to need it."

~0~

Jack and Roxanne were riding in style having stopped at a supermarket and parking the clunker van next to a late model sedan. They hot-wired the car, transferred the cash and headed out on the highway.

"Are ya' gonna blow up the bomb?" Roxanne asked without any regret and still harboring hatred for Lee tricking her before she had him.

"Nah that was only a bluff. I don't have the electronics to shoot it off remotely, but it will go off soon enough." He smiled as he looked over at Roxanne. "Besides, it will be more dramatic for Nelson to get there just in time to see it blow."

Roxanne shrugged her shoulders in a "whatever" move and turned up the radio as the two left Santa Barbara's city limits and headed south to lose themselves in the busy L.A. traffic.

~0~

Lee rocked the tether bolt enough that he thought he might be able to unscrew it. It was slow going with at least a half inch of screw to unwind; his work was interrupted by a sound that caught his attention. A small smile grew as he heard the sirens coming closer until he realized that his rescue could get them all killed as the clock hands were moving precariously close to the "alarm" hand. He worked all the harder to release his tether even as he heard multiple cars pull up.

~0~

Harry bolted out of the car even before Chip put it in park and ran inside the abandoned house, ignoring the calls of the officers trying to secure the scene.

"Lee!" he yelled.

"Harry!"

He ran toward the sound of Lee's voice and found him tethered to the floor working feverishly against his bonds.

"Harry the bomb. Get everyone out of the house," Lee yelled frantically just as Chip entered the room.

"We need cuff keys and tell everyone to clear away, the bomb threat was real," Harry yelled as Chip took off.

"Harry please," Lee pleaded, "There's only a few minutes left on the timer."

"We'll leave together, Lee," Harry replied as Chip returned with an officer who bypassed the keys and went straight for the bolt cutter, slicing the cuff rings apart in one swift movement.

Chip took up one side and Harry the other as they herded Lee out of the house, with his legs doing a poor job of keeping up. He breathed heavily but made no complaint as they cleared the house by only fifteen feet before it blew up behind them, the concussion sending all three to the ground as debris rained down around them.

Lee moaned, the fall to the ground having not helped his cracked ribs in the least.

"Lee?" Harry called, carefully turning him over and noting the pain lines on his face.

"Roxanne and Jack... don't let them get away Harry, they'll leave a trail of dead bodies where ever they go," he managed to breathe out before losing consciousness, his body finally taking charge and demanding rest.

The ambulance was allowed to move closer as the sounds of the fire trucks were heard in the distance. Harry watched as the EMTs inserted an IV and stabilized Lee for transport. His shirt was parted with dark angry bruises signaling possible broken ribs. His concussion was noted as Harry warned them about a possible Secondary Impact which etched up their concern considerably. He watched the ambulance drive away as Lt. Collins moved beside Harry.

"Not much left here, I'm afraid they got clean away."

"Not clean away," Harry noted as he watched the ambulance drive off.

Collins turned upon Harry's statement. "Is there something you know that I don't?"

A thin half smile grew as Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a transmitter.

"Nelson to Seaview."

"Seaview Aye. Go ahead Admiral."

Harry's half-smile morphed into a full one to match the twinkle in his eye.

"Are you tracking our package?"

"Aye Sir. I have coordinates; it looks as if they're headed south toward Los Angeles," Sparks reported.

"Very well, stay on it. Nelson out."

"You're tracking them?" Collins inquired incredulously. "How?"

"I placed a small transponder in one of the bundles of cash," Harry answered while signaling Chip to bring the car around.

"And just when were you going to let me in on this?"

"When I knew Lee was safe. I knew that the only chance he had was for the kidnappers to think they got a clean get-away. I didn't need you acting on the information before I knew he could be rescued," Harry said matter of factly.

Lt. Collins shook his head, "Time will tell if this little stunt of yours works," he said unhappy that Harry had acted without his knowledge but resigning himself to the fact to focus on the task at hand. "What do you need from me?"

"A helicopter. Have it pick us up at the Nelson Institute. I'll bring a Tracker and we can hone in on their vehicle."

Collins smiled despite Harry's omission regarding the transponder, "You've got it. And Nelson... I'm as anxious as you are to put these two away."

~0~

"Are we gonna stop for the night, Jack?" Roxanne asked rubbing her neck tiredly.

"Nah, I want to cross the border into Arizona tonight," Jack answered.

"Can't we head to Vegas instead?" she asked thinking of living it up a little with all the cash they had stuffed in the duffel bag in the back seat.

"We got to lay low, Baby, but don't you worry, the good life is waiting," he said tugging her over close to him and wrapping his arm around her shoulder, running his fingers up and down her bare arm.

"How long do you think it will last?" she asked referring to the money.

"A long time I expect, but I'm not worried about it. There's always more where that came from," he said laughing out loud as he pulled into the truck stop along the dark highway.

"Just take what you need Baby, don't flash too much cash or we'll get noticed."

"Okay Jack," she conceded and headed into the all night convenience store as Jack filled up the gas tank.

She loaded up on snacks and grabbed some pre-made sandwiches from the refrigerator trying to handle a couple bottles of soda pop at the same time.

"You look like you could use some help," she heard and turned toward the voice catching a tall blond headed hunk with the most incredible blue eyes.

"Yeah sure," she answered not missing the interest in his eyes. He wore tight blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt that complimented the color of his eyes. She glanced outside to see Jack finishing up at the pump and briefly considered whether she had enough time to give the blond something to remember her by in the bathroom.

"Here, let me take some of that," he offered as she unloaded her burden feeling the strength of his arms in the transfer. He flashed a smile which she returned, not one to waste a good flirting moment while wondering if his 18 wheeler had a sleeper compartment.

"Thanks, my name is Roxanne," she replied laying on a sexy smile even though she wasn't going to get any action out of it, but she was sure of who she'd be fantasizing about tonight when she and Jack finally stopped for the night.

"Hi, my name is Chip," he answered as her smile faded in sudden recognition in unison with her eyes widening at the feel of her arms being pulled behind her and hand cuffs clicking into place.

"You have the right to remain silent..." the officer recited with Roxanne spewing out a string of curses as she was led away.

Chip smiled tightly, satisfied with Roxanne's arrest. "One down; one to go," he thought to himself gazing outside and noting Jack's movements.

~0~

Jack filled the car up and washed the myriad of bugs off his windshield then leaned against the car waiting for Roxanne. He needed to use the can but didn't want to the leave the car with the stash of cash in the backseat. He tapped on the hood impatiently as a big rig pulled up behind him, raising an eyebrow as the big rigs had their own pumps on the other side of the truck stop.

The truck driver stepped out speaking in a long southern drawl and wearing a cowboy hat.

"I think I'm lost," he declared.

"You sure are fella. The big rigs fuel up over there," Jack answered a bit irritated just as another big rig pulled up in front and he realized he was penned in.

"No, I think I'm in the right place," the cowboy truck driver said, pulling the cowboy hat off revealing his auburn locks.

Multiple clicks were heard as Jack was suddenly surrounded.

"Keep your hands where we can see them Jack. It's all over," Harry said moving closer as Jack tried to make a run for it but was brought to the ground by a flying tackle from his flank as Chip threw himself forward, catching the running man by the heels. Jack reached for something inside his jacket but Harry was on top of him kicking the gun out of his hand and landing a swift upper cut to Jack's jaw.

The excitement was ended as Jack was surrounded by police officers from several different city jurisdictions along with several CHP officers and was taken into custody.

"Are you alright Chip?" Harry asked offering a hand up as Chip stood up brushing himself off.

"Just fine, Sir," he answered smiling at the thought of Harry's promise to get the first shot at Lee's kidnappers.

"Whoo-wee!" was heard from behind as Harry brushed off the cowboy hat and handed it back to its owner.

"Thanks fellas," he said to the truck drivers who had effectively blocked Jack's getaway path. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"That was sure some excitement," one said donning his cowboy hat once again. "You can ride shot gun with me anytime Admiral Nelson," he said with a wide grin. "Where'd you learn to handle a rig like that anyway?" he asked referring to Harry's driving skills.

Harry just smiled politely as the second truck driver offered a sharp salute. "Petty Officer Third Class Owens, Sir," he said introducing himself. "Finished my stint in the navy nearly five years ago," he explained as Harry nodded approvingly.

"Thank you Gentlemen," Harry said shaking both of their hands. "The next time you're in Santa Barbara give me a call. If I'm not at sea I'll thank you proper with a steak dinner," he promised before waving good bye and heading to the helicopter in the field behind the truck stop.

~0~

The soft bed greeted him first, followed by a groggy disconnection and then the antiseptic smell of the hospital room as wakefulness finally found Lee. A small moan escaped as his headache caught up with the pain in his side. He reached a hand to cradle his ribs only to be stopped in mid motion.

"Easy there Lee."

He focused until he found Harry's face. "Did you get them?"

Harry nodded. "Both Roxanne and Jack are in custody at County Jail as of two nights ago.

Lee's eyebrows tightened. "Two nights?"

"You've been in and out of consciousness for the last few days. The good news is that while your ordeal aggravated your healing concussion, you're not suffering from Secondary Impact Syndrome. The rest of you will heal in time," Harry finished with a pleasant smile.

"That's good to hear," Lee responded a bit distracted.

"Are you alright Lee?"

"I was just thinking about Jack and Roxanne," he said staring out the window. "They were pure evil Harry; ruthless, not an ounce of moral fiber in either one. I seriously doubt this was their first crime," he finished looking back and connecting eyes once again.

Harry's bottom lip curled as he shook his head in agreement. "I'm afraid you're right Lee. The police are uncovering a trail of death and destruction that follows their last known whereabouts, just like a trail of bread crumbs. We may never know for sure all their past deeds, but at least some of those crimes can now be solved, perhaps finally bringing closure to some families."

Lee nodded and then let the serious mood fade, tired of the whole mess. "What's been going on with Seaview? Are we still on schedule for our next mission?"

Harry grinned contently glad to let the saga of the Bonnie and Clyde incident pass as well, at least until the police interviews began in earnest.

"Seaview's in tip top condition and ready to sail in two weeks... without her captain, I'm afraid," Harry warned with a smile to cut the harshness of the reality that he would likely be beached for the next mission.

Lee started to roll his eyes and then screwed them shut, the process definitely not worth the pain, then chuckled.

"I don't think I'll argue... at least not today," he added with Harry joining in a light chuckle, grateful that Seaview's Captain was on the mend.

~0~

Lee stood on the deck of his master bedroom, wearing only lounge pants. The wind blew his curly locks across his forehead as he contemplated the process of bringing Jack and Roxanne to justice. He had given the details of his abduction to the police, including his escape attempt. He really dreaded the trial and cross-examining the incident would incur but there wasn't anything else he could have done. He was confident in his decision and would do what it took to put the pair behind bars for as long as possible.

The sea had a calming influence as he leaned against the deck rail contemplating Seaview's departure the next morning. He missed the last voyage but was nearly healed; his ribs were strong again and the bruises had disappeared. Lee was still under doctor's orders to guard against another head impact but as far as he was concerned he was fit and ready for duty.

"Lee? Are you coming back to bed?" his lady friend asked, slipping her arms around his waist from behind and kissing his back seductively then taking him by the hand and tugging him back to bed as Lee followed with a grin.

The hospital stay had definitely been worth it as he and his nurse, Callie, hit it off and she offered to make a house call to demonstrate her bedside manner. They left the sliding glass door open as the sounds of the seas played soothing background music to compliment the satisfied sounds coming from the bed as Lee demonstrated he was well enough to attend to any duty set before him.

 _ **~Fini~**_


End file.
